Model Studies in Orthopaedic Biomechanics

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Disorders in human musculoskeletal systems affect the majority of the population and are both a leading cause of sufferance and disability in people during their active working years and a major concern for the society in terms of absenteeism and growing health care costs. Although the etiology of many of these disorders (e.g., low-back pain, osteoarthritis, fractures, joint instabilities, injuries, deformities) is often a matter of uncertainty, there is ample evidence supporting the causative role of mechanical factors. Identification of the role of mechanical factors in observed injuries, deformities and degenerative processes benefits not only the growing biomedical industry but also broad segments of the society by mitigating risks involved, improving quality of life, augmenting productivity and reducing health care costs. This proposal presents realistic and complex finite element model studies of the redundant human trunk and lower extremity (knee joint) neuro-musculoskeletal systems, intervertebral discs, menisci, articular cartilage and ligaments in intact, injured, degenerate and reconstructed conditions. These biomechanical investigations involve 3D coupled nonlinear active-passive stability, transport, elastostatic/dynamics and multi-phasic analyses under various mechanical loading, muscle recruitment patterns and postural/kinematics/boundary conditions. Our own in-house developed finite element programs as well as available software, datasets and models will be used to complete the proposed studies. The proposed in silico biomechanical model studies in combination with in vivo and in vitro measurements (carried out by our group, our collaborators or taken from the literature) are intended to : (1) markedly advance our understanding of the functional biomechanics and structural stability of the human trunk, knee joint and their constituent components in various activities; (2) identify biomechanical risk factors in injuries, failures, malfunctions and degenerative processes; (3) develop, examine and propose methods, techniques and standards to mitigate injuries, improve safety in occupational, sports and recreational activities and expedite return to work; (4) investigate and improve exercise therapies, performance enhancement and rehabilitation management programs; and finally (5) analyze and improve designs of passive-active assistive/corrective devices (exoskeletons, foot wears, braces), constructs and prosthetic replacement systems. The proposed investigations, while covering a wide range of novel and complex applications in orthopaedics and sports biomechanics, will train highly qualified engineers and researchers that are much needed to effectively respond to the current and future challenges (e.g., ageing, obesity, more active lifestyle, prevention/ treatment measures, rehabilitation, sports injuries, absenteeism, return to and stay at work, health-care cost) facing our society and the biomedical industry.